Our Saturday morning started like any other, with Liz and I getting up early and calling Grandpa Ed on the phone. We then all got ready for Gymboree. Typically, Liz will be wide awake, play her heart out at Gymboree, and fall asleep on the way home. However, this morning, despite 11.5 hours of sleep the prior night, she fell asleep on the way TO Gymboree, and slept through the first 15 minutes of class.

She did wake up, fully charged, and went on to have a great class (what was left of it!).

Once we got home, we nursed and then went across the road to the neighborhood common area, where the Easter Bunny was holding court.

Easter Bunnies = Utter terror. She cried before I even sat down next to the bunny with her. In her defense, it was a rather creepy bunny.

However, after the Creepy Bunny left, it was time to have an Easter Egg hunt!

After the Easter fun, the whole family enjoyed a 2.5 hour nap together. Score!

Then, outside for her 11 month photos. Hard to believe one month from now we will be celebrating her first birthday. Blessed doesn't even begin to describe our life with her. Look at this joyful, sunny, smiling spirit. And my, can she run!

After her photos, Mommy and Lizzy played while Daddy mowed the yard.
Another beautiful day in a beautiful life.

April 8, 2012

Happy Easter! Her first Easter was sunny and bright. We headed to Yaya and Ed's, where she played, wore a beautiful Easter dress, and was the star of the show.

April 11, 2012

Liz has started saying "Arf! Arf!" like a doggie today. We haven't taught her this at all. She just picked it up hearing Gus and Bella barking.

She is also attempting to learn to jump. She bounces up and down on her little feet, thinking she's jumping. She hasn't quite figured out yet that she isn't actually doing it :o)

Since she's showing interest in the potty, I ordered her one, which arrived today. We practiced sitting on it a few times, and she cheers whenever she sits down.

April 13, 2012

Since we were going to an event Saturday, and that meant I was going to forfeit one of my precious weekend days with my sweet baby, I took today off so I could spend it with Liz. We were going to go to the Friday Gymboree class, but she napped from 9:00 - 12:00, so that was a no-go. Instead, once she woke up, we went to swim at the Y. We pretty much had the pool to ourselves, and practiced paddling and blowing bubbles.

For dinner we went to O'Charley's, and she was so good! She ate rolls and lots of Mommy's dinner. Afterwards, she and I went to PetSmart to see doggies while Daddy went to buy some movies from Best Buy. Fortunately, there were two doggies being groomed, so she got to tell me all about them.

Check out big girl sitting on her potty:

April 14, 2012

Tommy and I went to a beer event, so Liz stayed with Yaya and Ed all day. They called in the afternoon, saying Liz had been grabbing the phone and asking for Dada.

April 15, 2012

This potty training thing is a breeze (so far, anyway): she went pee-pee TWICE today! She sits so still while she makes pee-pee. Then she smiles widely and does her little cheer. We are so proud of her!

April 16, 2012

What an incredible day! I wasn't feeling well, so I stayed home from work, and kept Lizzy with me too. After she ate half of a Jimmy John's sandwich for lunch, she started saying "poo poo", so I thought we might as well go try the potty and see what happened.

We took her diaper off and she sat down. She immediately made little toots, a little squeeze, and a few seconds later, she had made poo poo in the potty.

I am so amazed.

In the evening, I started feeling better so we went to the grocery. Back by the yogurt section of our Marsh is the big container where all of the toy balls are kept. She started saying "Ball! Ball!", and squealing loudly with delight at all of the toys.

After dinner, there were several birds in the driveway. Her Daddy taught her another new word, "bird". I've honestly lost count of how many words she has mastered now, but it's certainly more than 10. She can communicate more and more each day!April 18, 2012Today we went over to Yaya and Ed's in the evening to help with some computer issues, so we all played with Lizzy while Daddy fixed things. We kicked the ball around the front yard, watched her RUN (she is fast!) through the grass, played peek a boo in the garage, and just had a great evening.She is pure joy.

April 19, 2012

Yaya had a hair appointment, so it was just Ed and Lizzy. He let her select an item from the fridge. She selected an entire bag of apples. He cut one up for her, and she sat and ate it on the kitchen floor. She was being so silly, laughing and trying to make Ed laugh with her apple slice.

How can this baby be any more beautiful? She is stunning.

April 20, 2012

I had mentioned how Lizzy has been trying to jump by bouncing on the balls of her feet. She decided that if she squats down and then uses her legs to power her upwards, her jumps will be more effective. She still doesn't leave the ground, but it's really cute to watch.

As she and I were headed to bed on Friday night, I held her arms and let her "walk" up the stairs. With every step, she said "Up!". Yet another new word.

Later in the evening, her Daddy was headed out to go have drinks with friends. She said "Buh Dada" to him as he was leaving.

April 21, 2012

Saturday morning = Gymboree fun. After playing and playing at Gymboree, we headed over to Classic Cakes for a cake tasting for her upcoming 1st birthday party. She helped us pick out our flavors. Who would've thought she likes cake?

Once we got home she was beat, so she and I lay down together and had a nice 2 hour nap. I then had to leave for a Wedding Shower, so she stayed home with her Daddy. While I was away, she learned another new word, "car". Three new words in two days.

April 22, 2012

On a whim, I thought I'd teach Liz how to do "cheers" with her cup. I showed her twice, and then without hesitation she was able to do it for the rest of the day every time I asked (and sometimes when I didn't!). She learns everything so quickly.

Another new game she and I are playing is "Where is nursing?". I'll cover up the "food" with a blanket, she ask her "Where is nursing?". She will get a big grin, uncover me, laugh, and immediately dive in to get a drink. It's so funny, because even if she isn't interested in nursing, I can play this game and she automatically wants to nurse.

She has been such a joy all weekend. Laughing, playing, smiling. Weekends are so precious to me, that I don't like to spend a minute apart from her if I can help it. She is my world.April 25, 2012Lately, Elizabeth has wanted to get people's attention to show them something she finds interesting. The other day, there was a bird in the driveway. Her dad was in the living room, and she needed him to see the bird. She tried snapping her fingers (which is so funny to watch her try to do this) and saying "Dada!" to get him to come see the bird.Today, she went shopping with Yaya and Ed. Ed and Lizzy stayed out in the truck while Yaya shopped. In the parking lot, someone had tossed a slice of pizza, and there was a flock of birds eating the pizza. When Yaya got back in the truck, Liz had to show Yaya the birdies!Once home, Liz was continuing to practice jumping. She will sneak behind the couch so that we can't see her jump (of course, we are watching her, even though she doesn't think we can see her). She squats down and jumps up with all her might. She did manage to get off the ground, even though it wasn't even 1/2 of an inch. That's progress, though!April 26, 2012For Valentine's Day, Daddy and Lizzy bought me a beautiful silver locket. Inside, I have the following photos:

Last weekend, I opened the locket for the first time, showed Lizzy the photos, and forgot all about it. I was wearing my locket this morning. When I was putting her in her car seat, she grabbed the locket, said "Dada" and tried to open it. She remembered the photos were inside.

At Yaya and Ed's, she likes to watch different YouTube videos. Yaya asked her what video she wanted to watch. She said "Hot", for the Hot Dog song.

Once home, we were all laying in bed playing. In the span of 10 minutes she did three new things: Gave High 5s, shrugged using her hands (in the palm up, "I don't know" gesture), and did the "stinky" hand gesture in front of her nose (we play a game where we tell her she has stinky feet and make dramatic stinky gestures.) She learns so fast!

April 27, 2012

This date last year marked our 37 week "Full Term" date. I remember wanting her so badly to be born at this point! What a difference a year makes.

But she was worth the wait :o)

April 28, 2012

I woke up this morning to Lizzy talking in her sleep. She was saying "Dadadada" in her tiny little voice, clearly dreaming of her Daddy.

We had a fantastic potty-training day. Three pee-pees and one poopie all before noon! We did have one accident in the afternoon, but to only have to change one diaper instead of five is VERY nice.

She has started saying "Go" when she wants to leave or go outside. She will carry around her coat or shoes saying "Go". She has also started saying "Hi" when a phone is put to her ear.

Also, today I had to retire a bunch of her 12 - 18 month clothes. Her torso is just too tall for them. We are fully into 18 - 24 and 24 month clothes. She is a tall baby!

April 29, 2012

Another fantastic potty-training day - several pee pees (I lost count) and another poopie in the potty! Time to go buy some Pull Ups to make potty time easier.

April 30, 2012

May 1, 2012

Since Liz now uses the potty with ease and regularity, she gets to spend some time without her diaper on. To say she loves this is an understatement.

May 4, 2012

We decided to start her birthday weekend off right, by blowing up a balloon for her to play with. After all, it was the 52-week anniversary of my water breaking and us going to the hospital, so let's party! :o)

In the photo above, you see a butterfly. He met his demise at Liz's hands moments later.

May 5, 2012

Lizzy's 52 week birthday! We had a wonderful party at Gymboree. Many of her (our) friends and family were able to attend. Everyone had a FANTASTIC time - most of all Liz. The party started off with everyone in a big circle and Liz getting to sit in the special seat. She had to "jump" down. After jumping down, she went to the middle of the circle and continued to jump for everyone, to great applause. She loves the spotlight! There was lots of playing, an amazing cake (not sure how we're going to top this one!), and presents (even though I asked for no gifts :o)).

Have you ever seen a happier almost-one-year-old?

May 6, 2012

The celebration continued on Lizzy's 365-day birthday (thanks to the Leap Year!). The three of us went to the zoo. Her favorite animals were, of course, the ducks swimming in the flamingo area ("Duck! Duck!") and, strangely, the warthog.

The zoo so exhausted her that she and I lay down for a nap at 4:30 in the afternoon. I woke up at 12:30 am, eight hours later. She stayed asleep until 6:00 am the next morning. Fear not, I went back to sleep at 1:30 am and got several more hours of sleep myself :o).

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